Kerala - Kozhikode   

DYFI demands judicial probe into rights violations

Staff Reporter

Seeks resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy

KOZHIKODE: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has demanded that the State Government order a judicial inquiry into the human rights violations taking place in the State.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, DYFI president K.N. Balagopal also demanded that criminal charges be framed against police officers involved in lock-up tortures. The DYFI would take up the issue with the Centre as well as Central law enforcing and human rights agencies. A draft would be submitted to the President of India detailing the police atrocities and the nexus between the ruling party and mafia in the State, said Mr. Balagopal, who was in Kozhikode to take part in a State-wide protest march by the activists to the office of the Circle Inspector.

He also called for the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for the worsening law and order situation in the State. At least he should quit the Home portfolio in the wake of the custodial death in Thiruvananthapuram recently and the continuing tortures at police stations throughout the State. The crime rate in the State was no different from that of Bihar, he said.

Mr. Balagopal pointed out that 77 lock-up deaths had taken place ever since the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) assumed power in Kerala. The 77th one was the cruellest incident in which an innocent youth, Udayakumar, had been killed using third degree measures because he requested the police officers to return the money, which the officers had forcibly taken from him after illegally detaining him.

Police excesses continued at Payyoli, Karunagapally and Thiruvananthapuram even after the lock-up death case in the State capital. Murukan, an anti-liquor activist, was taken into illegal custody and tortured for complaining against the selling of spurious liquor at a local toddy shop. The liquor mafia also did not spare him, Mr. Balagopal said.

He ridiculed the Youth Congress leaders for terming the custodial death in Thiruvananthapuram as a conspiracy. Such propaganda would not work with the masses nor help the culprits go scot-free. Action had been taken against only a few police officers after the incident came to light. More police officers were involved in the case, he alleged.

The DYFI would go head with nation-wide agitations against the police excesses in the State. All inquires were conducted just for a namesake, Mr. Balagopal said.

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